Field of the Invention and Related Art Statement
This invention relates to an endoscope provided at the tip with a solid state imaging device.
There has been already suggested an endoscope provided in the tip part with a solid state imaging device. In such endoscope, in the tip part, not only a solid state imaging device but also electronic parts forming amplifiers and others are incorporated and further many cables are connected.
As shown, for example, in FIG. 2 of the publication of Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 241010/1985, a solid state imaging device arranged axially in the tip part of an endoscope is attached to a substrate of a width in the diametral direction larger than that of the solid state imaging device and has electronic parts and cables connected to the surface opposite the surface to which the solid state imaging device is attached to the substrate.
In the prior art, as the width of the substrate was larger than the width of the solid state imaging device, the diameter of the endoscope tip part was large. Therefore, the endoscope was likely to give the patient a pain larger than was necessary when it was inserted.
Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,865, as the width of the substrate is larger than the width of the solid state imaging device, there is the same defect.
Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,391, as the solid state imaging device and imaging circuit are covered with an enclosure, there is a defect that the outside diameter of the tip part is large.
On the other hand, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,450, amplifiers and others are not incorporated and the substrate part is not clearly shown but a solid state imaging device showing a width considerably larger than the image area is used (the substrate and solid state imaging device may be shown as combined however) and therefore it is difficult to make the contour of the tip part small.